1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to a method of attaching fastener elements to a support tape for slide fasteners or a fastener tape and more particularly to a method of attaching to a longitudinal beaded edge of a fastener tape discrete metal interlocking fastener elements formed beforehand.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A typical method of attaching discrete metal fastener elements to a longitudinal beaded edge of a fastener tape are disclosed in Japanese Pat. Publication Showa No. 33-8030, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,903,659 and 2,125,707. In such a conventional method, fastener elements each comprising a coupling head and a pair of diverging legs extending therefrom are fed into the longitudinal beaded edge of the fastener tape and placed astraddle thereof, that is, with one leg on either side thereof. Then, the diverging legs of the fastener element thus disposed on the opposite sides of the fastener tape are squeezed toward each other by means of such as a pair of hammers or punches, so that the fastener element is clamped to the longitudinal beaded edge of the fastener tape. This conventional method, that is, the method of attaching to the fastener tape discrete metal fastener elements formed beforehand is quite advantageous in permitting the entire surface of the metal discrete element to beforehand undergo gold o silver plating or coloring by chemical surface treatment, so that the resultant slide fastener, as a whole, equipped with the thus plated or treated fastener elements is very sightly and attractive in appearance.
However, the above-mentioned conventional method suffers from the following disadvantages. Since the diverging legs of the fastener element are spread widely apart for facilitating placing it astraddle of the longitudinal beaded edge of the fastener tape, the fastener element is liable to incline relative to the plane of the fastener tape when placed astraddle thereof, so that the fastener element would be attached thereto as it remains inclined. This would constitute an obstacle to coupling engagement of fastener elements of the mating fastener stringers, thus preventing smooth reciprocation of a slider along the opposed rows of fastener elements. Furthermore, fastener elements attached as inclined both relative to the plane of fastener tape and relative to one another would make the resultant slide fastener as a whole unsightly or poor in appearance.